Dee Strange-Gordon

Dee Gordon wears Jose Fernandez's batting helmet, hits leadoff home run

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Dee Gordon took his first pitch Monday wearing the batting helmet of the late Jose Fernandez, hitting an emotional home run two pitches later.

Monday’s contest between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets may be the most emotional in recent baseball memory. The tragic death of Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez has fans, players and all others involved with Miami trying to balance playing a game and remembering their friend, role model and favorite player.

Members of the Marlins honored their fallen teammate in a variety of ways. In the bottom of the first inning, second baseman Dee Gordon – a close friend of Fernandez since coming to South Florida – honored his friend by wearing Fernandez’s batting helmet during the first pitch.

Two pitches later, Gordon did something even more emotional, hitting a solo home run to give the Marlins the early lead before breaking down as he rounded the bases:

cardsnation2016: Dee Gordon Fox Sports 1 MLB Whiparound https://t.co/7WfYjcljrS pic.twitter.com/RVbCNTLGeB

— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) September 26, 2016

You cannot fault Gordon or any other member of the Marlins organization for being emotional tonight. The death of Fernandez has the whole community of Miami, even those who aren’t fans of the Marlins, emotional at a life taken far too soon.

Fernandez was more than just a ball player to many in South Florida; he represented someone who struggled to get to America, like so many others in the area, while having a true love for the game and having fun with it.

Before the game, the team announced that they would be retiring Fernandez’s No. 16 jersey, a move that is the best thing they could do to honor his legacy and make sure that people don’t forget what he meant to the team, the fans and the entire South Florida community.